Testimonies are emerging online that only two Seoul mayoral candidates were printed on the ballots on the day of the June 3rd local elections. The photo is a reconstruction of the situation at the time, created by AI.

“The Seoul mayoral ballot I received at the polling station only had the names of two candidates printed: Jung Won-oh of the Democratic Party and Oh Se-hoon of the People Power Party.”

Kwon Hyuk-bu, former KBS DirectorKwon Hyuk-bu (80, pictured), a veteran journalist who served as Director of KBS News, expressed his shock at this "unprecedented fraudulent election" during a phone interview with on the 6th, stating, "I was astonished to later learn that there were actually six candidates for Seoul mayor."

Amid heated online discussions about two types of ballots being used in the same election following the June 3rd local and by-election, coupled with a ballot shortage in Jamsil, Songpa-gu, this is the first time a voter who directly experienced the ballot with only Jung Won-oh and Oh Se-hoon printed has revealed their name and spoken with the media.

Former KBS Director Kwon stated, "Two different ballots were presented for candidates running in the same election: one listing two candidates and another listing six." He testified, "My wife and I received the two-candidate ballot and voted at the Wonchon Middle School polling station in Banpo 1-dong."

Kwon arrived at the express bus terminal around 4:30 PM on the election day, the 3rd, after being out of town. He narrowly made it to the Wonchon Middle School polling station around 5:40 PM, just before the polls closed.

Kwon recounted his experience receiving the ballot, explaining, "I had been out of Seoul for other matters for a long time and rushed back. So, when I received the ballot, I didn't even know how many candidates there were for Seoul mayor."

He recalled, "At first glance, the Seoul mayoral candidates seemed similar to presidential candidates. I naively assumed they were party leaders and cast my vote without researching the candidates beforehand."

He later received a call from an acquaintance. The acquaintance mentioned a controversy regarding ballots with only two Seoul mayoral candidates. Kwon recalled his surprise, saying, "I thought I misheard and replied, 'Perhaps the other four candidates withdrew.' But they told me that there were indeed ballots with six candidates and ballots with two candidates."

Kwon stated, "According to the Public Official Election Act, there must only be one type of ballot; two types cannot exist." He explained that his suspicion led him to investigate the matter further with his family and acquaintances, and he was met with a horrifying truth.

His eldest daughter's family, who lives nearby, has four voters: his daughter, son-in-law, and two grandsons. Among them, his daughter, son-in-law, and his younger grandson voted with the two-candidate ballot. His elder grandson received the six-candidate ballot.

Kwon's second daughter received the six-candidate ballot, but two of her friends, who live in Gaepo-dong and Jamsil, also received ballots with only Jung Won-oh and Oh Se-hoon.

He shared, "My second daughter, who lives with me, voted around 10 AM and received the six-candidate ballot. Her two friends in Gaepo-dong and Jamsil received ballots with only Jung Won-oh and Oh Se-hoon. My eldest daughter lives in Jamwon-dong, across the street, so her polling district is different. When I inquired, her second son voted with the two-candidate ballot."

As he investigated further with his acquaintances, similar cases increased. After the interview, Kwon called back again to report, "I have additionally confirmed cases with two people living in Olympic Apartments and one university student living near Hakdong." Hakdong is an old name for Nonhyeon 2-dong in Gangnam-gu.

He emphasized, "This incident is a clear case of unprecedented fraud that surpasses imagination," and demanded, "Noh Tae-ak, Chairman of the National Election Commission, and Heo Chul-hoon, Secretary-General, should be executed, and like President Syngman Rhee, Lee Jae-myung must take responsibility for the fraudulent election and step down immediately."

He then proposed that the June 3rd local elections be nullified and a new election be held solely based on that day's votes.

Kwon is a veteran journalist who worked his way up from being a KBS investigative reporter to Head of the Social Affairs Department, Director of News, Director-General of KBS Daegu Broadcasting Station, and then a KBS Director and Vice Chairman of the Korea Communications Standards Commission. He also ran for KBS President in 2009.

By Heo Gyeom